Application Note

Comparator Series

Hysteresis Setting for Comparator

Contents:
1. Circuit configuration and operation
2. Calculation of threshold voltage (resistance division type)
3. Calculation of threshold voltage (reference voltage type)
4. Calculation of threshold voltage (simple type)
5. Comparator output voltage (common)

1. Circuit configuration and operation

Hysteresis comparator
A hysteresis comparator is operated by applying a positive feedback* to the comparator. The potential difference between the
High and Low output voltages and the feedback resistor are adjusted to change the voltage that is taken as a comparison
reference to the input voltage for the +IN terminal. The width of variation in the reference voltage is the hysteresis width.
In this circuits the signal is input to the‐IN terminal ,the output is inverted.

Note: A comparator cannot be operated as a

hysteresis comparator when a negative feedback is
applied.
For open collector/
open drain type

Pull-up voltage
VD R2 Vp

R3 VCC Rp

R1
Vref
Output

Input

R4
VEE

Figure 1. Hysteresis comparator circuit

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Hysteresis Setting for Comparator Application Note

• Operation without hysteresis

When the input signal and Vref (reference voltage) are nearly equal, exceeding the threshold value due to noise or other
causes will destabilize the output. (Chattering occurs)

Figure 2. is Response waveforms of non-hysteresis

comparator. VCC

(1) When the input signal (-IN) is applied at a voltage Vref(+IN)

sufficiently higher than Vref(+IN), the output is varied
Vin(-IN)
according to Vref as a threshold.

VEE(GND)
Input Input
(2) When the input signal (-IN) is applied at a voltage
equivalent to Vref(+IN), the input signal may or may not
VCC
exceed the threshold at Vref due to noise or other
Vp
causes, resulting in an instability (chattering).
Vref(+IN)
Vout(OUT)

VEE(GND)
Output Output
(1) (2)

Figure 2. Response waveforms of non-hysteresis

comparator

• Operation with hysteresis

Since a margin is provided between the High-to-Low and Low-to-High thresholds, no chattering occurs in the output even
when a signal is input at a voltage near the threshold voltages.

VCC VCC

Figure 3. is Response waveforms of hysteresis

comparator. VthH(+IN) VthH(+IN)

VthL(+IN) VthL(+IN)
(3) When the input signal (-IN) is applied at a voltage Vin(-IN) Vin(-IN)
sufficiently higher than VthH(+IN) and VthL(+IN), the VEE(GND) VEE(GND)
Input Input
output is varied according to Vref as a threshold.

VCC VCC
(4) When the input signal (-IN) is applied at a voltage Vp Vp
equivalent to VthH(+IN) or above, no chattering occurs VthH(+IN) VthH(+IN)
since the output will not respond unless the input falls
VthL(+IN) VthL(+IN)
below the threshold at VthL(+IN).
VthL is the voltage switching from Low to High. VEE(GND) VEE(GND)
Output Output
VthH is the voltage switching from High to Low.
(3) (Vp: pull-up voltage) (4)

Figure 3. Response waveforms of hysteresis comparator

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Hysteresis Setting for Comparator Application Note

2. Calculation of threshold voltage (resistance division type)

Derivation of threshold voltage for hysteresis comparator
In the circuit configuration shown here, the threshold voltages and
VD Pull-up voltage
プルアップ電圧
the hysteresis width are expressed as follows.
R2 Vp
• Threshold voltages
R3 Rp
VCC R2 a Ra
Vref
R1
+ Output VOH  VD VOL  2 VD
出力 R1 R3 R1 R3
入力
Ｖ
VthH  VthL 
Input Vout 1 Ra 1 Ra
- ( R1  R2  2 ) ( R1  R2  2 )
VEE R1 R1 R1 R1
R4 • Hysteresis width
1
Vth  VthH  VthL where a
1 1 1
Figure 4. Hysteresis comparator circuit using (   )
R1 R3 R4
resistance division

Point
• The calculation of the threshold voltages is complicated since it
involves many parameters. We suggest inputting the equations in
advance with software such as a spreadsheet program to perform the
calculation.

Calculation process
Form a current equation for Vref and VD
in Figure 4. VD  Vref V  Vref Vref
  ...(1)
R3 R1 R4
V  Vref Vout  V
 ...(2)
R1 R2
R2 R
Solve equation (2) for Vout. V  2 Vref  Vout  V
R1 R1
R2 R
Vout  (  1)V  2 Vref ...(3)
R1 R1

VD Vref V Vref Vref

Solve equation (1) for Vref.    
R3 R3 R1 R1 R4
1 1 1 V V
(   )Vref  D 
R1 R3 R4 R3 R1
1 V 1 V
Vref  ・ D  ・
1 1 1 R 1 1 1 R1
(   ) 3 (   )
R1 R3 R4 R1 R3 R4
a a 1
Vref  VD  V ...(4) where a
R3 R1 1 1 1
(   )
R1 R3 R4

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Hysteresis Setting for Comparator Application Note

R2 a
Solving equations (3) and (4) for V allows Vout  VD
R1 R3
equation (5) to be obtained. V ...(5)
1 Ra
( R1  R2  2 )
R1 R1

V provides two threshold voltages for the hysteresis comparator: V thL is the voltage switching from Low to High and VthH is the
voltage switching from High to Low.
Vout is the output voltage of the comparator providing two values: VOH is the High output voltage and VOL is the Low output
voltage.

3. Calculation of threshold voltage (reference voltage type)

Calculation of threshold voltages for a hysteresis comparator when a reference voltage is provided from a power source or
other supplies.

Pull-up
プルアップ電圧 voltage
• Threshold voltages
R2 Vp
R2 1
Rp VthH  a Vref  aVOH a
R1 R
R1
VCC 1 2
R1
+ Output
出力 R2
Ｖ VthL  a Vref  aVOL
Input
入力 R1
Vout
-
• Hysteresis width
Vref VEE
Vth  VthH  VthL

Figure 5. Hysteresis comparator circuit using Vref Point

reference power source • Since there are fewer variables involved in determining
the threshold compared with the calculation for the
resistance division type, the design flexibility is reduced
for the voltage setting.
Form a current equation for Vref and V.

Vref  V V  Vout
 ...(1)
R1 R2
R2 R
Vref  2 V  V  Vout
R1 R1
R2 R
Vref  Vout  (1  2 )V ...(2)
R1 R1

Substitute the coefficient of V with 1/a and solve equation (2) for V

1 R2
a V a Vref  aVout ...(3)
R R1
1 2
R1

Since Vout takes two values, the high level output voltage VOH and the low level output voltage VOL, the threshold voltages
VthL and VthH can be expressed as in equation (3).

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Hysteresis Setting for Comparator Application Note

4. Calculation of threshold voltage (simple type)

Calculation formula for the hysteresis of the simple type hysteresis comparator

• Threshold voltages
Vref プルアップ電圧
Pull-up voltage
a a 1
R3 Vp VthH  Vref  VOH a 
R1 R3 1 1 1
Rp
(   )
R1
VCC
R1 R2 R3
a a
Ｖ VthL  Vref  VOL
+ 出力
Output R1 R3
Input
入力
Vout • Hysteresis width
-
VEE Vth  VthH  VthL
R2

Point
• As there is no input resistance, the design
Figure 6. Simple type hysteresis comparator
flexibility is reduced for the setting width of the
threshold.

Form a current equation for V.

Vref  V V VO  V
  0 ...(1)
R1 R2 R3
1 1 1 1 1
Vref  V  V  Vo  V  0
R1 R1 R2 R3 R3

1 1 1 1 1
(   )V  Vref  Vo
R1 R2 R3 R1 R3
1 1 1
V ( V  Vo)
1 1 1 R1 ref R3
(   )
R1 R2 R3

Substitute the coefficient of V with 1/a and solve equation (2) for V.

1 a a
a V  Vref  VO ...(2)
1 1 1 R1 R3
(   )
R1 R2 R3

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Hysteresis Setting for Comparator Application Note

5. Comparator output voltage (common)

For the output voltages, the same calculation can be used for the resistance division and reference voltage types and simple
type.
Pull-up voltage
プルアップ電圧
Vp

Rp VOL depends on the current supplied to the IC.

R2 It is estimated from the measurement data.
VthL
ＶＨＬ
R2: Feedback
VOL
Resistance Output
出力

IC inside
IC内部
Vsat
ON

Figure 7. Low voltage output

Pull-up
プルアップ電圧voltage
Vp VOH can be calculated since it is determined by the
external resistors and the threshold voltage.
Rp
R2
VthH
ＶＬＨ V p  VOH VOH  VthH
R2: Feedback
VOH 
VOL Rp R2
Resistance
出力
Output
1 1 V p VthH
IC inside
IC内部 (  )VOH  
No
電流 current R2 R p Rp R2
flows
流れない
OFF a a 1
VOH  V p  VthH a
1 1
Rp R2 
R2 R p
Figure 8. High voltage output
Figure 8. High 電圧出力

Point
• When a circuit is configured with an approximate value of the hysteresis voltage,
VOH can be calculated and VOL can be directly measured.

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 Notice

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